Verbena plant named ‘Britena’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of  Verbena  plant named ‘Britena,’ characterized particularly as to novelty by flowers fading from rose to white with a purple center, which appear earlier on the plant, and a growing habit that is first upright and later spreading.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed:Verbena×hybrida.

Varietal denomination: ‘Britena’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new distinct cultivar of Verbena,botanically known as Verbena×hybrida.

The new Verbena×hybrida is a product of a planned breeding programconducted in Enkhuizen, Netherlands.

A new Verbena plant particularly distinguished by its rose flowers witha purple center fading to white flowers with a purple center, earlyflowering, a habit that is first semi-erect and later spreading.

The new cultivar is propagated from cuttings resulting from the openpollination of ‘G0809-2’ and an unknown parent. ‘G0809-2’ is an apricotflowering Verbena having a spreading habit. ‘G0809-2’ is notcommercially available and is not known by any synonyms. ‘G0809-2’ hasnot been patented. The male parent is unknown.

As a result of this open pollination the present cultivar was created in2004 in Enkhuizen, Netherlands and has been repeatedly asexuallyreproduced by cuttings in Enkhuizen, Netherlands and Sarrians, Franceover a three year period. It has been found to retain its distinctivecharacteristics through successive propagations, and this noveltyappears to be firmly fixed.

This new Verbena plant is an annual in most climatical zones in the US,only in zones 9 and 10 it is a perennial plant.

A Plant Breeder's Right for this cultivar was applied for in theEuropean Union on Nov. 12, 2008. ‘Britena’ has not been made publiclyavailable more than one year prior to the filing of this application.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

This new Verbena plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographicdrawing which shows blooms, buds and foliage of the plant in fullcolour, the colour shown being as true as can be reasonably obtained byconventional photographic procedures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctivecharacteristics of this new Verbena. The data which defines thesecharacteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out inEnkhuizen, Netherlands. The plant history was taken on 14 week oldplants, blossomed under natural light in a greenhouse. Color readingswere taken in the greenhouse under ambient light.

Color references are primarily to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The RoyalHorticultural Society of London.

TABLE 1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN ‘BRITENA,’ ITS PARENTS AND THE MOSTRESEMBLING VARIETY ‘Escapade Bright ‘Britena’ ‘G0809-2’ Eye’ (Notpatented) Earliness Early Early Late Internode length Short Short LongMain color Fading rose to pink No eye White with violet with purple eyeeye Vigor Compact Very compact Very vigorous

-   The Plant:    -   -   Classification botanical.—Verbena×hybrida.        -   Parentage.—Female parent: ‘G0809-2’. Pollen parent: Unknown.        -   Growth habit.—Semi-upright, later trailing.        -   Plant height.—23-36 cm.        -   Spreading area of plant.—30-45 cm.        -   Growth rate.—Hanging and vigorous.        -   Branching character.—Freely branching and lateral branching            at every node.        -   Blooming period.—From April until November.-   The stem:    -   -   Diameter.—2.5-3 mm.        -   Shape.—Tetragonal.        -   Anthocyanin pigmentation.—Absent.        -   Color.—37B.        -   Length of internode.—22-42 mm, depending on the light where            the plant is propagated.        -   Pubescence.—Pubescence is present.-   The foliage:    -   -   Phyllotaxis.—Opposite.        -   Shape of blade.—Broadly ovate.        -   Texture.—Upper side: Pubescent. Lower side: Pubescent.        -   Venation.—Pinnate.        -   Leaf margin.—Dentate.        -   Leaf base.—Obtuse.        -   Leaf apex.—Acute.        -   Length.—25-33 mm.        -   Width.—18-22 mm.        -   Depth of incision.—3 mm.        -   Color.—Upper side: 137B. Lower side: 137C.        -   Pubescence.—Some pubescence is present on both surfaces.        -   Length of leaf stem.—2-3 mm.        -   Petiole surface structure.—Slightly pubescent.        -   Petiole color.—Upper side: 137B. Lower side: 137B.-   The bud:    -   -   Peduncle length.—32-40 mm, depending on season.        -   Peduncle color.—137B.        -   Size.—Diameter: 2 mm. Length: 8-13 mm.        -   Shape.—Elongated and ovate.        -   Colour.—137B.        -   Surface texture.—Some pubescence is present.        -   Sepals.—Color Upper side: 138B. Lower side: 137C. Form:            Upright. Number: 5, fused. Size: 4.5 mm. Shape: Elongated.-   The flower:    -   -   Facing direction.—Upward.        -   Outward curvature of petal.—Slightly curved.        -   Diameter.—16 mm.        -   Height.—16-18 mm.        -   Borne.—In a cluster.        -   Form.—Salverform; sessile on terminal spikes.        -   Cluster.—Spike.        -   Color.—N66A fading to N155D and in the center N81A.        -   Eye.—N81A.        -   Overlapping of petals.—Separate.        -   Number of petals.—Gamopetalous, 5 lobed.        -   Shape of the petals.—Each petal is heart shaped at the apex            and grown together at the base.        -   Petal margin.—Entire.        -   Petal surface texture.—Upper side: Smooth. Lower side:            Smooth.        -   Size of the petal.—Length: 6-7 mm. Width: 5-7 mm.        -   Spike.—Length: 25-30 mm. Diameter: 30-50 mm.        -   Calyx length.—8-9 mm.        -   Anthocyanin pigmentation of calyx limb.—Absent.        -   Color of the calyx.—Upper side: 137B. Lower side: 137C.        -   Corolla tube length.—16 mm.        -   Corolla tube color.—Upper side: N66A. Lower side: 14A.        -   Number of flowers per spike.—14-28.        -   Diameter of the inflorescence spike.—4.2 cm.        -   Fragrance.—No fragrance.        -   Lastingness of the bloom.—New florets continue to open in            one spike over a period of 10 days.        -   Lastingness of one flower.—5 days on the plant and 3 hours            off the plant.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Androecium.—Stamens quantity: 4. Anther shape: Ovoid. Anther            length: 1 mm. Anther color: 144C. Pollen amount: Scarce            pollen. Pollen color: 145D.        -   Gynoecium.—Pistils quantity: 1. Pistil length: 18-22 mm.            Stigma shape: Bi-lobed. Stigma color: 144C. Style length:            14-18 mm. Style color: 144D. Ovary color: 144C.            No seed set is observed.-   Physiological and ecological characteristics: Good tolerance to heat    and cold, from 2 to 35 degrees C. No resistance to diseases common    in Verbena is observed.

1. A new and distinct variety of Verbena plant named ‘Britena,’ substantially as illustrated and described herein. 